In Pennsylvania, some county Children and Youth Services agencies are faced with a continuing high level of caseloads and difficulty in attracting qualified employees. This has resulted in a backlog of cases.
 
Consequently, I plan to reintroduce legislation, which was Senate Bill 1294 of the 2023-24 session, which authorizes the Department of Human Services to assist a county Children and Youth Services agency when it is faced with this scenario. My legislation will amend Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes to allow a county agency to request assistance from the Department of Human Services if there is a backlog of investigations. The department may also determine during an investigation or performance audit of a county agency authorized by the current statute that this assistance is needed. Under the bill, the department and county agency shall work together to designate the cases that are to be investigated by the department.
 
All department employees who assist in these investigations shall possess the same qualifications and credentials that county agency personnel must possess in order to handle investigations. The department personnel shall have the same authority to interview witnesses and the child, and all regulations covering the confidentiality of investigations and the final determination shall apply to these investigations.
 
Previous co-sponsors of Senate Bill 1294 were Senators Culver, Flynn and Laughlin. Please join me in sponsoring this legislation, which can help county Children and Youth Services agencies throughout the Commonwealth.

Statutes/Laws affected:
Printer's No. 738 (May 05, 2025): 23-6334.1(4)